I've had issues with vitamins for years. I forget to take them, I forget to buy them and I think that they can be a pain in the butt. Several months ago I bought the Nature's Code vitamins from QVC, which are super-expensive but very complete and are tailored to women under 50. However, these vitamins come in packets and I have to take six pills a day. I was OK for the first couple of weeks but I soon began to really dread taking all of those vitamins every day. I slacked off - and before I knew it, I went probably two months without taking any of those vitamins. I really need a multivitamin to fill in the gaps in my diet, but never bought new vitamins - and the Nature's Code vitamin packs continue to sit in the kitchen. Then one day I got a $2-off coupon in the mail for One-A-Day VitaCraves Gummies Complete Adult Multivitamins. I decided to check them out the next time I was at Super K-Mart.


Product Details:

One-A-Day VitaCraves Gummies Complete Adult Multivitamins are gummy-textured vitamins that are fruit-flavored and come in a translucent red plastic bottle with a red plastic, child-proof, screw-on cap. The vitamins are pretty small, with each measuring a quarter to a half of an inch long.

The bottle holds 50 gummy vitamins, and the vitamins are shaped like their respective fruit flavor (blue raspberry, cherry and orange). These vitamins also come in a "sour" version. (The "sour" version comes in a green plastic bottle with a green cap.)

One-A-Day VitaCraves Gummies Complete Adult Multivitamins contain the following vitamins and recommended daily value of each:

Vitamin A - 80%
Vitamin C - 100%
Vitamin D - 100%
Vitamin E - 133%
Vitamin B6 - 100%
Folic Acid - 100%
Vitamin B12 - 167%
Biotin - 50%
Pantothenic Acid - 100%
Iodine - 53%
Zinc - 33%

These vitamins also contain choline and inositol, neither of which have a daily value established.

The packaging states that these vitamins have ten calories in each daily serving, which is two gummies, so there are five calories in each gummy vitamin. There are three grams of carbs in two vitamins, all of which are classified as sugars.

These vitamins are for adults and children over the age of 4.

From OneADay.com: As part of a healthy lifestyle it is important to get key vitamins your body may need every day. Now One A Day® introduces VitaCravesTM Complete Adult Multivitamin Gummies with ingredients to support energy and immunity, in a great tasting gummy.


Ingredients (taken from packaging):

Glucose syrup, sucrose, gelatin, water, ascorbic acid. Less than 2% of: Artificial flavors, beeswax, carnauba wax, choline bitartrate, citric acid, D-biotin, D-calcium pantothenate, FD&C blue #1, FD&C red #40, FD&C yellow #6, folic acid, inositol, modified starch, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vegetable oil (coconut or palm), vitamin A acetate, vitamin B12, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), vitamin E acetate, zinc sulfate.


My Experience:

With my coupon for the One-A-Day VitaCraves Gummies Complete Adult Multivitamins came a flyer that stated that this vitamin formula comes in a regular "non-sour" version and a "sour" version. I would choose the "sour" version because I love sour gummy candy, but my Super K-Mart store had just the regular "non-sour" version. I liked the $8.99 price, and minus my $2-off coupon, the price was down to $6.99. A far cry from the $20 that the Nature's Code were costing me per month.

So I'm a little confused as to why the people at One-A-Day named these vitamins VitaCraves. I doubt that many adults crave gummy vitamins. So maybe they are referring to the sweet taste and the gummy candy-like texture.

I've taken different types of One-A-Day vitamins in the past and had always noticed that the list of vitamins that they contain is not always as long as other vitamins I've taken, including some store brands. I find this disappointing, as One-A-Day is one of the most popular and easily recognized brands as far as I'm concerned. For example, I like taking a vitamin that contains iron. I know that men don't need iron like pre-menopausal women do, and the folks at One-A-Day need to keep the gummy vitamins "unisex" - so they aren't going to include iron.

Now, I know that comparing the One-A-Day vitamins to my Nature's Code vitamins isn't really a fair thing to do. One is a mass-market brand that sort of has to appeal to the masses (the One-A-Day VitaCraves) at a fairly low price, and the other has several versions (male, female, pre-menopausal, post-menopausal) and has a premium price. However, my Nature's Code vitamins contain lycopene, red raspberry leaf, COQ10, lutein, chromium, selenium, riboflavin and several other vitamins, minerals and extracts. In addition, the Nature's Code vitamin contains 1,667% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C, whereas the One-A-Day VitaCraves contains 100%. Some doctors say that larger quantities of vitamin C really helps the immune system to fight off colds and other illnesses. Personally, I would rather have the 1,667% of Vitamin C, because that is close to the amount that is in an Airborne tablet (the immune system-boosting supplement). So if you have the extra money to spend and want the extra vitamins, minerals and supplements (COQ10, lycopene, lutein, red raspberry leaf, etc.), you should try a more premium vitamin and one that is specifically engineered toward your age and lifestyle. But if you just want to get 100% (or close to it) of your basic vitamins and want a gummy vitamin that is super easy to take, then the One-A-Day VitaCraves are something you may want to try.

None of the quantities of vitamins in the One-A-Day VitaCraves are over 133%. Maybe they don't think it's necessary, and maybe they don't want the general public to stand in the aisle at Wal-Mart and say "Wow! There's 1,000% of vitamin E in this vitamin - could that be good for me?" So for me, I get the feeling that the folks at One-A-Day just want to appeal to the masses, give them close to 100% of most of the basic, well-known vitamins, and be done with it.

So do the One-A-Day VitaCraves taste good and are they palatable? Yep! They're not quite as soft as a traditional gummy bear, but they're soft and chewy and taste good. They're artificially flavored, but they still taste like blue raspberry, cherry and orange. They're very pleasant and I look forward to taking them after dinner each evening. I haven't experienced any side effects at all and feel fine since I've been taking them. I'm not thrilled that they contain plenty of sugar, but the sugar content isn't THAT high and it makes them taste good. I'm also not thrilled with the artificial flavors, but I don't know if they are even able to use natural flavors in these vitamins or not.

There are only 50 vitamins in each bottle, so you will not get a full month's supply from each bottle. There are enough for 25 days. But for $8.99, that isn't too bad. Also, there is currently a $2-off printable coupon at OneADay.com.

Overall, the One-A-Day VitaCraves are working for me right now. I'm thrilled that I can take a break from the little packets of six pills and can just chew two of the gummies each day. I'll go back to the Nature's Code vitamins when it starts to sink in that I spent a lot of money on these premium vitamins and am letting them sit on the kitchen counter. But I truly needed that break and am glad to be taking it. I think the One-A-Day VitaCraves are a great way for someone who can't take larger vitamin tablets to get their vitamins in, and I can see older children and teens liking these as well.


Price and Purchasing Information:

I purchased my One-A-Day VitaCraves Gummies Complete Adult Multivitamins at my local Super K-Mart for $8.99 (less my $2 coupon). They will soon be at all mass merchants such as Wal-Mart if they are not already there, and at drugstores as well. Online, these vitamins can be purchased at Drugstore.com currently for $8.49.

Recommended: Yes